Thorn
by Alex the sorceress 43
Summary: Meet Aragorn's first sweetheart before he met Arwen. Just to warn you, near tragedy and a few bar brawls.
1. Thorn

PROLOGUE

_rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRR R!_

I jumped back, startled by the sudden noise.

"Thorn, move!" Strider shouted. I ran outside, horrified by what might be inside the cave. Nothing followed me out. Not even Strider.

"Strider?" I asked, uncertain. A low growl came from the cave, and Strider was thrown into the air. He landed hard, and I could see giant claw marks across his chest.

"Strider! No!" I screamed. As I turned back towards the cave, I braced myself for the end.

* * *

CHAPTER 1

_three days earlier_

I took a deep breath as I raised my bow. My target? A big buck, probably worth at least thirty coins at the market. Before I could shoot, I heard another bowstring being pulled behind me. I silently rotated my right foot, then turned around. I couldn't believe it.

"Strider! I was going to shoot that buck!" I hit his arm with my bow. "You knew that was mine!" I shouted as I hit him again. Strider laughed.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, all right? You're right. That was your deer."

I couldn't stay mad at him. I smiled.

"Come on. We scared the deer, we'd better head back."

Strider and I had met about a year ago. He was only thirty then. I was twenty-five. I was a little skeptical of him at first, but now he's like my brother. We're both rangers. I wasn't at first, but Strider taught me how to be one.

As we rode back, I noticed a large group of footprints on the ground. I dismounted and followed on foot.

"Thorn?" Strider asked. I didn't answer, but motioned for him to follow.

"What are those?" Strider asked.

"I don't know. They look smaller then ours, except for this trail here," I pointed out. There were at least ten people, maybe more. I followed the tracks to a thick group of bushes. I could hear voices. I cautiously peered over the bush, and I saw thirteen dwarves, a halfling, and Gandalf, a wizard I knew well. Strider knew him, too. I didn't realize how much weight I was putting on the bush and fell into the center of the dwarves. I heard various startled yelps from the dwarves. The halfling just groaned. Gandalf and Strider seemed amused.

"Um... Hi?" I said skeptically. A Dwarf stepped forward.

"What is your name, girl?"

"Thorn."


	2. Thorin and company

The dwarves were named Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Fili, and saying that in one breath! Thorin had asked my name. Honestly, I didn't like dwarves all that much, but Thorin and Kili were kind of cute. GAH! What was I saying? Strider would laugh himself sick if he heard about this.

"Thorn!" Strider grabbed my arm. I realized that I was so busy thinking, I had almost walked into a stream. "Are you okay, Thorn?"

"Yeah! I'm fine." Although, it wasn't like me to think that deeply.

"We part ways here, Elf," Thorin said to me. I wasn't technically an Elf. My dad was one, but my mom was mortal. Because of this, my ears were pointed. I wasn't about to tell that to Thorin, though.

"He's right, Strider. We should have been back at least an hour ago," I pointed out.

"Alright," he agreed. "Goodbye, Gandalf."

"Until we meet again, Estel."

_Estel? Hope. Why would Gandalf call Strider that?_

_"_Come on, Thorn. We'd better get back."

"Right. Coming."

As we walked off, I swerved and spun around to face Strider, walking backwards the whole time.

"Estel, huh? Where did that come from?"

"Thorn, why would you ask something like that? You know that I go by many names."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because you don't need to know."

I stepped in front of him and grabbed his left shoulder with left hand, pulling out a dagger with my right. I pointed the dagger at his throat.

"Strider, we have never lied or kept secrets from one another. I don't want to start now. Now tell me why Gandalf just called you 'Hope'."

"And what if I don't?" he taunted. I pressed the blade closer to his neck.

"Try me. What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing you can learn from me."


End file.
